1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications services. More particularly, the present invention relates to the utilization of various wireless messaging paradigms, including, inter alia, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), wireless electronic mail (e-mail) and Instant Messenger (IM), to facilitate access to services, including, inter alia, the increasingly popular wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi).
2. Background of the Invention
While the ‘wireless revolution’ continues to march forward it carries with it a range of untapped, or under-exploited, potentials. As the various technological (e.g., ubiquitous cross-carrier interoperability), social (e.g., user or subscriber inertia), etc. impediments are breached, wireless data services continue to grow and continue to provide significant revenue opportunities to wireless carriers. To sustain that growth a continual stream of new ‘singular’ wireless data products and services is required.
One such product/service is the immensely popular Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi.
Private Wi-Fi environments are frequently deployed by individuals within their homes to provide un-tethered network access within their home. Additionally, private Wi-Fi environments have been, and continue to be, deployed by companies and other organizations within their buildings and campus complexes to provide their employees and workers with wireless network access.
Wi-Fi ‘hotspots’ or access points have been deployed at a variety of public locations, and new hotspots are being raised at an ever-increasing rate at, amongst other public locations, airports, hotels, conference centers, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, sports stadiums, etc.
As a potential service user moves about from one public location to another it is not always clear or obvious to that user what services may be available at any given location. To address this challenge mechanisms have become available that identify for a potential service user the location, availability, etc. of a desired service.
While mechanisms have begun to appear that identify the location and the availability of services such as public Wi-Fi hotspots, no mechanisms yet exist to address the many challenges that inevitably arise from the fact that each public Wi-Fi hotspot is effectively a separate service ‘island,’ distinct and apart from other (proximate or distant) Wi-Fi hotspots. Two of the many challenges are (1) payment and (2) access.
The present invention addresses the payment and access challenges and thus aids significantly in the further adoption and use of public Wi-Fi and other services that are similarly situated.